Miniature camera



April 30,' 1940.

L. W. CAREY MINIATURE CAMERA Filed Jan. 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet v 1 April 30, 1940. L. w. CAREY MINIATURE? CAMERA Filed Jan. 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v? as April 30, 1940. w CAREY 2,198,602

MINIATURE CAMERA Filed Jan. 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 30, 1940. L. w. CAREY 2,198,602

' MINIATURE CAMERA Filed Jan. 29, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,198,802 7 MINIATURE cams Lawrence W. Carey, Dexter, Mloln, minor to Precision Instruments, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mioh., a corporation of Michigan Application January 29, 1938, Serial No. 187,738

14 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to photography and more particularly to what are commonly known as miniature or candid cameras wherein on account of the relatively small films or 5 light sensitive surfaces to be exposed in the taking of pictures, it is especially desirable that such surfaces be not only maintained flatly or evenly in the focal plane, but that the light rays impinging thereupon during exposure be controllably distributed evenly over every portion of the area of such surfaces.

In consideration thereof, it is an object of the present invention to provide a camera of the above type having means to counteract the nor- 35 mal tendency of film to curve or curl laterally between the feed and take-up spools on account of the tension exertedon the film base by its coating of sensitized material, and to so counteract this tendency that the flim will present itself fiatwise and evenly across the exposure opening.

It is a further object to do this without close confinement of the film such as would impede its free feeding movements and also without tendency toward undue scraping of its sensitized surface at opposite sides of the opening.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a focal plane shutter which, in its normal closed position, afl'ords a fully effective closure for the exposure opening and which, in its operative 30 movement. provides for the even uniform distribution of light to every portion of the sensitized ment for simultaneously varying-the speed of shutter mechanism and the width of the aperture presented by the shutter as it crosses the exposure opening.

With the above general objects in mind, further and more specific objects of the invention.

together with the details of construction, ar-

. rangement and operation of the various parts and their resulting advantages, will more clearly appear in the course of the following description of the best mode so far devised for carrying the 55 invention into practical effect, reference being plane shutter together with a separate positive made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the camera forming the basis of this invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken therethrough substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detail horizontal sections through the shutter and itssupport, Figure 3 showing the shutter closed, Figure 4 showing the shutter during an exposure after one section has moved and before movement of the other section has started, and Figure 5 showing the position of the shutter after an exposure has been completed.

Figures 6,? and 8 are detail sectional top plan views of the shutter operating mechanism in general, showing the parts in positions respectively corresponding to the positions of the shutter as illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, and

Figure 9 is a view in perspective of the shutter and its operating mechanism, showing the various parts in detached or exploded relation.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly toFigures 1 and 2 thereof, the casing of the improved camera is preferably made up of front and rear interfitting and correlated sections it) and II, together with a front plate I! and an upwardly opening hollow base section l3, upon the upper edge of which the sections l0 and II and the front plate I! seat.

The front section In is formed with a centrally located substantially semi-cylindrical and vertically disposed shutter chamber i4, opening through the front face of the section and closed at its top. the bottom of this chamber opening into the hollow base II.

The open front of the shutter chamber 14 is closed by the front plate I! carrying the lens and lens holder l5 detachably in position beneath opposing studs [6 under control of a spring-actuated locking button II. The front plate I! is preferably set in to the forward surface of the front section ID of the casing, and the locking button I! normally occupies one of the diametrically opposed peripheral recesses I511 of the lens holder so as to prevent its rotation to a point where these recesses, coinciding with the studs l6, permit of removal of the lens and lens holder for purposes of repair or substitution.

The front section III of the casing is provided in its rear surface. in cooperation with recessed portions of the front surface of the rear section II, with vertically disposed side recessed portions l8 and IE, to thus form with the rear section a film feed chamber and a film take-up chamber 2|, so that by removal of the rear section II feed and take-up spools 22 and 23 may be disposed in these chambers so as to provide for movement of ,the film 24 from the former to the latter.

In furtherance of the above, the rear face of the front section III of, the casing also presents, between its side recessed portions I l and I, a convexly curved surface 25 which, in cooperation with a concavely curved intermediate portion of the front surface of the rear section II, formsa film feed channel or throat. Centrally of this film feed channel or throat the feed section ID of the casing has an exposure opening 21 communieating with the shutter chamber i4 so that rays of light from the latter, under controlof the shutter to be presently described, may impinge upon that section of the film at the rear of the exposure opening 21.

It is a well-known fact that sensitized film ordinarily tends to curve, curl, or buckle transversely when on of the roll, due to the tension exerted on the film base by its coating of sensitized material and. while this might be counteracted by a film feed channel or throat so narrow as to guide the film firmly in fiatwise relation, this would not only seriously impede free feeding movements of the film but wouldalso tend to cause undesirable scraping of the sensitized surface of the film against the adjacent wall of the feed throat.

The present invention proposes to counteract the foregoing tendency of the film to cut] or curve, and without the above-mentioned disadvantages, by providing the forward surface of the rear section II of the casing with rounded vertical ribs 28 at opposite sides of its intermediate concavely curved portion and this at opposite ends of the film feed channel or throat, and to thereby cause a more or less abrupt fiexingof those portions of the film 24 at opposite ends of the feed throat in a direction opposite to the curvature of the film in its passage through the curved feed throat. In so doing, the tendency of the film to curve or curl is counteracted without endangering undesirable scraping of the sensitized surface thereof, since the opposite surface contacts the ribs 28.

At one side or end of the feed throat the upper and lower edges of the film are guided by rounded projections 29 of the front section II of the casing, while at the opposite side or end of the feed throat the upper and lower apertured edges of the film are engaged by the toothed members 30 of a film advancing shaft 2| which extends within a recessed portion 22 of the front surface of the rear section I l and which is journaled in portions 33 of the front section and the top of the latter .scction above which the shaft has a of gears 25 and 34. These gears areof the same size and have aligned teeth, and the upper gear I! is in constant driving relation, through an intermediate pinion 21, with a gear 38 at the lower end of a stub shaft 3!. The stub shaft 39 is Journaled through the center of the base of the film take-up chamber, and its portion which upstands into said chamberis slotted as at 40 to be enmed in driving relation by a cross portion of the film take-up spool 23.

Thus rotation of the shaft 3| in one direction by its upper knurled roller 34 will cause rotation of the spool 23 to take up the film 24, or, in other words, advance said film the distance of one exposure space thereof, so as to align an unexposed portion of its surface opposite the film exposure opening 21.

Every such film advancing movement of shaft II is utilized to set the shutter for an exposure operation, or in other words position the same for release in the next picture taking operation, as will be presently described. Rotation of the shaft II in the opposite direction is prevented at all times by a spring dog 4| engaging its abovementioned gear 35.

Within the shutter chamber l4 of the camera casing, a stationary substantially semi-cylindrical shield 42 upstands from a substantially semicircular base plate 43, whose curvature is concentric with that of the wall of said chamber. This shield is spaced from the wall of the chamber I4 to form therebetween a sufficient space for the accommodation of the focal plane shutter of the present invention, which shutter is in two sections, each section comprising a pair of horizontally overlapping, differentially movable, curved upright wings. The wings 44 and 45 constitute one section of the complete shutter and, in their simultaneous effective movements, the inner wing 45 moves at a proportionately greater speed and to a proportionately greater distance than the outer wing 44. The wings 46 and 41 constitute the other section of the shutter and, in the effective movements thereof the inner wing 41 moves at proportionately greater speed and to a proportionately greater extent than the outer wing 46. It should be understood at this point that during each exposure or picture taking operation, each section of the shutter moves as a unit, so that, by controlling the time interval between movements of the two sections or units, the width of the space between the same, through which exposure is made, may be easily and accurately controlled.

is made through an opening 48 of the shield 42 which is opposite to the exposure opening 21 of the casing and, at the start of an exposln'e' operation, the shutter wings 44 and 45 constituting one section of the shutter are in full overlapped position beyond one side of said opening 42. In this position of the parts, the opening 48 is entirely covered by the overlapping wings 48 and 41 of the other section of the shutter which are then in spread overlapping position spanning the full opening 42, it being noted that one side of wing 41 is slightly ofiset as at 49 to overlap the adiacent edge of the wing 45 of the other section, so as to effectively prevent reflection of light around this side of the aperture covering sections 44 and 41.

As best seen in Figure 9 also, the shutter wings 44 and 44 are the outer wings and upstand from arcuate base plates II and 5! whose inner portions 52 and I are depressed or downwardly offset to seat withinthe central substantially seam-circular depression 54 of a lower guide plate ll of general semi-circular form. The base plates 5. and II of the shutter wings 44 and 46 rest fiatwise on this guide plate 55 and the latter is provided with arcuate slotted openings 56 and I1 to accommodate the lower ends of parallel shaftsilandilofthewinzbase 54 andshafts I and II of the wing base 5|. Secured to the upperen'ds of these shafts respectively are gears 82, 88, 88 and 85.

' The gears 88 and 83 of wing base 88 are in mesh with one another, though gear 83 and its shaft 59 are set nearer to the outer perimeter of base 58 than gear 82 and its shaft 58. The same relation exists between gear 88 with its shaft 88 and gear with its shaft 5| of the wing base 5|, the relation of the gears, as above, permitting the two gears 82 and. 84 to engage the toothed edge 86 of a stationary plate 81. This plate 81 has its teeth 88 formed along the outer edge of an upper outer portion thereof, within which it has an intermediate depressed portion 88 adapted to movably confine the depressed portions 52 and 53 of the wing bases 58 and 5| and form with a wall of the depression 54 of guide plate 55 aguide chamber in which said wing base depressions are'shiftable. The toothed plate 81 also has a central portion 88 depressed below its intermediate-portion 88 adapted to seat against the base of the guide plate depression 58 inwardly beyond theinner edges of the wing base depressions 52 and 58. in order that it may be securely and stationarily connected to the guide plate 55 by bolts 18 which upstand through said guide plate, the toothed plate 81 and the shield base 43. to receive nuts II rigidly connecting these parts.

The shutter wings 45 and 41 likewise upstand from arcuate bottom plates I2 and 18 having inner depressed portions 18 and I5 seated on the intermediate depressed portion 88 of the toothed plate 61 and movably confined between the latter and the upper outer shoulder I8 of a substantially semi-circular enlargement upon the lower surface of the shield base 88. The wing bases I2 and 18 have upon their lower surfaces toothed segments 11 and I8 which are thus immediately above and outwardly beyond the toothed edge 58 of the toothed plate 81, so that these segments will engage the gears 88 and 85 of the wing bases 58 and 5|, said gears 88 and 85 upstanding above the gears 82 and 88 engag-.

ing said toothed edge 88.

The shafts 58 and 88 of the two innermost gears 82 and 88 depend substantially below the guide plate 55 through its arcuate slots 58 and 51 and project into apertures 18 and 88 at the free inner ends of a pair of shutter actuating arms 8| and 82 pivotally connected at their opposite ends to brackets 88 and 88 upstanding and offset from lower and upper shutter actuating slide plates 85 and 88.

Referring-now to the hollow base I8 of the casing, as best seen in Figure 9, it is provided within its lower portion with a longitudinal channel indicated at 81 in which the bottom slide plate 85 is shiftable in the direction of its length, and in which it is guided not only by virtue of the sidewalls of the channel but by a stationary guide piece 88 which rises in the channel through a lengthwise slot 88 of the slide. One end of the channel is enlarged and the corresponding end of the slide is also widened and its respective end provided with teeth 88 forming a rack which is normally in engagement with the lower gear 8| of a pair of similar rigid gears, the upper gear 82 of which normally engages the lower gear 88 of the vertical actuating shaft 8|. The pair of gears 8|, 8! Just mentioned are loosely disposed on a post 88, as seen in Figures 6, 7 and 8, and are normally engaged and pressed downwardly by a spring 88 shown in Figure 9 and supported by a bedplate 85 which, in the bled position, seats above the two slide plates 88 and 88.

The double gear 8| and 82 overlies a rotatable disk 88 normally controlled by a spring 81 and having a peripheral portion thereof upset to form a gear lifting tongue 98, so that, when the disk 88 is partially rotated to-bring the tongue 88 beneath the double gear 8|, 82, the latter will be shifted vertically to disengage its lower gear 8| from the rack 88 of slide 85.

The slide 88 isshiftable lengthwise on the slide 85 and the guide block 88 upstands through a longitudinal slot 88 of said slide 85, one end of the latter of which is provided with a rigi hook I88.

On the slide 85, nearest the inner or hook end of slide 88 is an intermediately pivoted trigger I8I having at its inner end a hook I82 and having at its opposite end a rounded nose I83. This trigger is controlled by a spring I88 normally holding the trigger against a stop to position the trigger for engagement with the hook end I88 of slide 88, and thus when both slides are shifted to the right in Figures 6, 7 and 8, trigger "I will engage the hook end I88 of slide 88 and the two slides thus joined for simultaneous shifting movement toward the left.

Both slides are at all times urged toward the right in the above figures by springs I88 and I81, the former engaging the bracket 84 of slide 88 and the latter the bracket 88 of slide 85. The opposite ends of these springs are connected to flexible straps |88and I88 extending around rollers H8 and secured to a head block' III pivotally connected to one end of an adjusting frame 2- which will be more particularly referred to hereinafter.

and having at one end thereof a finger piece II5.

which projects exteriorly and forward of the cmnera casing through a slotted portion of the front plate I! as shown in Figure 1. In its normal inactivepositionasshowninFlguresGandB, this release abuts at its inner end an upstanding shoulder II8 of the rotatable disk 88, and these are the relative positions the parts assume after ane'xposmehasbeenmadathevarioixsparts of theachlatingbeingthenasinrigure 8and the shutter being in the position shown in Figure 5, with both sections thereof shiftlad clockwise and the wings 88 and 85 overlying and closing the shield opening to thus prevent passage of light rays through the exposure aperture 21.

Thus, starting from the position of the parts shown in Figures 5 and 8, the operator, grasping the knurled roller 88 rotates shaft 8| in a cormterclockwise directionto shift the illm for positioning an unexposed portion thereof opposite the exposure aperture 21. In so doing, the double gear 8|, 82 is rotated and gear 8|, engaging rack 88 of slide 85, shifts both slides 85 and 88, then in locked connection by reason of trigger III shifting arms 8| and 82 move the two sections of.

i E E i a i l t l L i R l i i i i '2 l i i i E i I 1 I the shutter from the position shown in figure 5 to the position showninFigure 8,arm 8| pushing the shutter section consisting of the wings l and 45 from a spread position opposite the exposure opening to a full overlapped position at the left of the opening and arm 02 pulling the seoidon consisting of the wings 40 and 01 from a full overlapped position at the right to a spread position across the exposure opening. This results by reason of the fact that through the before-mam tioned gear connections, between the wings of each section and between the sections of the shutter and the stationary toothed plate '1, the wings of each section are forced to a differential movement during the sliding actuation, so that the exposure opening will be fully covered by the com-' bined wings of one section of the shutter before and after an exposure has been made.

The set position of the parts resulting from the foregoing operation is illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 and it will be noted from the latter of these figures that the rounded nose I00 of trigger III is now seated in the side recess Ill of the re- 25 is pressed inwardly to shift release member H0, the latter tilts trigger IOI to the position shown in Figure 'I, so as to release its hook I02 from the hook I00 of slide 80 and thus free this upper slide 80' which is then immediately drawn to'the right 30 by its spring I01. During this movement of slide 00, one section of the shutter consisting of the wings 40 and 01 is immediately shiftedto the right from the position covering the exposure opening as shown in Figure 3 to the position uncovering said opening. as shown in Figure 4, thus permitting light to pass through the exposure opening and to impinge the objective upon the sensitized surface of film 24. In this way actuation of the initially movable section of the shutter during exposure is accomplished, but during this movement the bottom slide 00 is prevented from shifting under the tension of its'spring I08 for a controlled interval. 'lhus when trigger III was tilted during the 45 above operation by the release member III, its hook end was shifted laterally beyond one side of the slide 00 and into a position to engage one end II1 of an intermediately pivoted latch lever IIO,

' 50 along the opposite end of which extends one end I I0 of a control lever I20 also intermediatelv pivoted and having its opp flite end normally disposed in the path of movement of the slide 00.

Furthermore, in the first of the above releasing operations, the release member I0 in its initial inward movement to release slide 00 shifts disk 00 in a rotary direction'to cause movement of its tongue 00 beneath the double gear", 02. The lifting of these gears releases the lower gear 0| fromtherackllofslide". Inthiswaythe slide 00 is released for spring-actuated movement when slide 00 is released, except for the engagement of trigger III by the latch lever I I0.

Thus when in its spring-actuated effective as movement slide 00 shifts one section of the shutter. as previously described, and comes into contact with the free end of the control lever I20, the rocking of the latter on its pivot in turn rocks the latch lever IIO to shift the end III of the 70 latter away and free of thetrigger IOI.sothattheslide 05 is thus permitted to move to the right under actuationof its spring I00 so as to pull the shutter section consisting of the wings 00 and 00 from the full overlapped position shown in Figure.

75 3tothe spreadpositionshowninl'iguresSandd lease member Hi. If then the finger piece IIB to the spread position shown inl'lgure 5 covering the exposure opening.

Obviously then, the two operations, that is, the movement of slide 0 to shift the shutter wings and I1 clockwise to the position shown in Fig- 5 ure 4 and the movement of slide 00 to shift the shutterwings 00 and l! in the same position, follow one another closely, the advancing edge of wing 40 defining between the same and the trailing edge of wing 41 a light admitting slot which 10 I is of the full height of the exposure opening and which is of a width depending upon the interval between the release of slides 80 and 00.

This time interval in turn obviously depends upon the relative podtion of the free end of control lever I with respect to the spring-actuated stroke of slide 00, while the speed of movement of both sections of the shutterand the duration of the light between thetwo sections of the shutter onto the film obviouslydepends upon the speed 9 of-movement of both sections, and this speed of movement in turn depends upon the effective strength of the springs I00 and I01.

For the above reasons, the control lever I20 is pivoted on a pin I2I which pivotally s pp rts the head block III, this pivot pin being carried by one .end of, the adjusting frame I I2 before mentioned.

This adjusting frame has sliding movement in the base It forwardly of the slides 00 and 00 and is provided with an upstanding toothed rack I22 80 which is enga ed by a toothed wheel I23. wheel I22 issecuredupon avertical shaft I20,attheupper end of which is a knurled adjusting wheel I20.

a portion of the periphery of which Is exposed at the front of the camera through a recess in the front wall of the base indicated at I20, the base having a second recess I21 through which, below the knurled wheel I25, the front'tsurface of that portion of the adjusting mmem: carryin the rackI22isexposedtoviewas's'eeninFigureLin 40 order that the operator may see marks indicating the different speeds and exposure times.

.lhe shaft I20 serves to pivot thelatch lever I I0, one end of the latter of which is engaged by a controlling spring I20, and for this purpose the shaft upstands from the base I0 through a lengthwise slot I20 of the adjusting frame II2, so that by rotating the knurled wheel I20 the frame I I2 may be shifted longitudinally by reason of the coaction of the toothed wheel I10 with the rack I22. Thus the'free end ofthe controlling lever I20 may-be shifted and positioned for engagement by slide '0 at different points in the spring-actuated stroke of the latter, and thus also it may be positioned beyond the end ofthe stroke of the slide 00, so that the latter in its spring-actuated effective stroke will not actuate the controlling lever I20 tointurnreleasethelatchlever IIO. Bear in mind that the frame'll2 and the controlling lever are shiftable relative to the latch 50 lever I I0. the latter of which is not adjustable.

'fl'hus for all instantaneous pictures. adjusting of frameII2 towardtheleftinriguresefl and8 gradually decreases the time interval between the release of slides 00 and 00 and thus between eifective movements of the two sections of the shutter. At the same time, each adjustment is made tothus gradually diminish the width of the exposure aperture between the two sections of the shutter, adjustment of the frame II2 toward the 7 left gradually increases the tensions, of springs I00 and I01 through the s'trapsl00 and I00, so that, as the exposure aperture between the shutter sections is diminshed or increased as the adjusting'frame II2 is adjusted to the left or the 7' right, the speed of movement of the two shutter sections is correspondingly increased and decreased so that both controls are taken care of at one and the same time and by one and the same adjustment, namely, adjustment by the knurled wheel I25.

Assuming that the adjusting frame H2 has been shifted to the right so that the free end of controlling lever I20 is beyond the effective stroke of slide 86, it is obvious the parts will be retained in the positionshown in Figures 4 and 7, as long as the release member H3 is held in its inwardly pressed position. The reason is that since the controlling lever I20 is not actuated by the slide 86, the latch lever H8 will remain in position to engage the tilted trigger llll and prevent shifting of slide as long as this trigger is held in the tilted position of Figure 7. m this way, provision may be made for timed exposures where the exposure opening is to remain uncovered for a predetermined interval with the parts in the position shown in Figures 4 and 7. Upon release of member l3 by the operator, however, and return of this release member under tension of spring 91 to its normal position'shown in Figures 6 and 8, trigger llll resumes its normal position under tension of its spring I, carrying its hooked end I02 away from and free of the end ill of the latch member III to thus permit slide 85 to shift lengthwise under tension of its spring I01 and move the shutter wings 44 and 45 across the exposure opening.

It will, furthermore, be noted that, as effective movements of the shutter sections during ea'ch exposure or picture taking operation are .controlled by slides movable in straight lines and as. these slides are connected to the shutter sections by means of links or pivoted arms swingable to translate the movements of the slides into the arcs of sliding, swinging movements of the shutter sections, the invention effectively overcomes any tendency to acceleration ofshutter movement and thus avoids the disadvantages arising from unequal or uneven light distribution across the face of the film.

What is claimed is:

1. In a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, a focal plane shutter in two sections,

means for successively releasing said sections for timed movement in the same direction whereby to create an exposure slot between them, each section including differentially shiftable rigid overlapping wings, and connections -between said wings whereby each section increases in width during its movement in one direction to an expanded position completely masking the exposure aperture -and decreases in width during its movement in theother direction to a contracted position beyond one side of the exposure opening. 2. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure opening and limited spaces at opposite sides of said opening, said shutter comprising'two sections successively movable to form an exposure slot therebetween, each section including rigid overlapping parts and connections for shifting said parts relative to one another to increase the widths of the sections during movement thereof in one direction to an expanded position across the exposure opening and. decrease the widths thereof during movement in the opposite direction toa contracted position within one of said spaces.

3. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having restricted spaces at opposite sides of its exposure opening, said shutter comprising two successively movable sections forming an exposure slot therebetween, each section including a pair of rigid overlapping wings, and connections effective during each operative movement of the shutter for. causing differential movement of said wings of one sectionio a retracted position in one of said spaces, and for moving the wings of the other section to an expanded position across the exposure opening.

4. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure opening, said shutter comprising two sections swingable in a substantially semi-circular path, means for swinging said sections in timed relation to form an exposure slot therebetween, each of said sections consisting of a pair or curved overlapping rigid wings, and

eared connections between the wings of each section ror causing a shifting movement relative to one another during swinging movement of the said sections to an expanded position covering the exposure opening and a retracted position in a constricted space beyond one side of the said p 5. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure opening and restricted spaces at opposite sides of said opening, said shutter comprising two curved swingable sections forming an exposure slot between them, each embodying a pair of rigid, relatively shiftable curved wings permitting expansion and contraction of the wings and connections for causing differential movements of said wings during swinging thereof between an expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position in one of said spaces, actuating means for the said shutter sections including independently shiftable slide members, and means releasable in timed relation upon movement of one of said slide members for releasing the other of said slide members.

6. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter comprising a pair of swingable, expansible and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shiftable parts, means for causing differential movements of said shutter parts of each section during swinging movements of said shutter, adjustable means for releasing, in timed relation, one of said slide members by the movement of the other slide member, and spring means for actuating both slide members under a tension controlled by the said releasing means.

7. A focal plane shutter for a miniature cam era having an exposure aperture, said shutter trolled means for releasing one of said slide members for movement, connections actuated by the released slide member during its movement for releasing the other slide member for movement, and adjustable means simultaneously controlling the time oi release of the second slide member and the effective tensions of the springs actuating both slide members.

8. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter comprising a pair of swingable, expansible and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shlftable parts, means for causing differential movements of said shutter parts of each section during swinging movements of said sections between an expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position within a restricted space at one side of said opening, a pair of initially locked slide members connected to said shutter sections for shiiting the latter, springs for moving the slide members, an

adjusting member movable to control the effective tensions of said springs, manually controlled means for releasing one of said slide members,

and means for automatically releasing the other of said slide members during movement of the first slide member.

9. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter comprising a pair of swingable, expansible and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shiitable parts, means for causing differential movements of said shutter parts of each section during swinging movements of said sections between an expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position within a restricted space at one side of said opening, a pair of initially locked slide members connected to said shutter sections for shifting the latter, springs for moving the slide members, an adjusting member movable to control the effective tensions of said springs, manually controlled means for releasing one of said slide members,

and means for automatically releasing the other of said slide members during movement of the first slide member, said last named means including a controlling element carried by, and ad- Justable with, the said manually adjusted spring controlling member. I

10. A focal plane shutter ior a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter' comprising a pair oi swingable, expansible and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shiitable parts, means for causing differential movements of said shutter parts of each section during swinging movements of said sections betweenan expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position within a restricted space at one side of said opening, a pair of slide members independentlyconnected to said sections, manually actuated means for moving saidslide members in unison in one direction, manually actuated means or releasing one of said slides for movement, springs for shifting said slides in the opposite direction upon release, means actuated during movement of one slide for automatically releasing the other slide, and means for simultaneously adjusting the last mentioned slide releasing means and the effective tension of the actuating springs, including a single manually adiustable element.

11. A focal plane shutter for aminiature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter comprising a pair of swingable, expansible and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shlitable parts, means for causing diflerentialmovements of said shutter parts oi! each section during swinging movements of said sections between an expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position within a restricted space at one side 0! said opening, a pair of slide members independently connected to said sections for actuating the latter, manually actuated means for shifting said slide members in unison in one direction, spring means ,for independently shifting the slide members in the opposite direction, means for releasing one of said slide members for movement under tension of its spring and simultaneously releasing the manually actuated shifting means out of connection with the slide members, and means for automatically releasing the other of said sliding members during spring actuated movement oi. the first slide member. I

12. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter comprising a pair of swingable, expansible and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shiitable parts, means for causing diil'erential. movements of said shutter parts of each section during swinging movements of said sections between an expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position within a restricted space at one side of said opening, a pair of slide members independently connected to said shutter sections for moving the same, manually actuated means for moving said slide members in unison in one direction, springs for independently shifting the slide members in the opposite direction, manually controlled means for releasing one oi said slide members for spring actuated movement, and simultaneously disengaging the said manually moving means irom the slide members, a latch member effective upon release of the first slide member to check movement of the second slide member, and a controlling member having a portion disposed in the path of movement of the released slide member (or disengaging the latch with respect to the second slide member,

13. A focal plane shutter for a miniature camera having an exposure aperture, said shutter comprising a pair of swingable, expanslble and contractible sections forming an exposure space therebetween and each including rigid, overlapping relatively shiitable parts, means for causing giflerential movements of said shutter parts of each section during swinging movements oi said sections between an expanded position opposite the exposure opening and a contracted position within a restricted space at one side of said opening, a pair of slide members independently connected to said shutter sections for moving the same, manually actuated means for moving said slide members in unison in one direction, springs for independently shifting the slide members in the opposite direction, manually controlled means for releasing one of said slide members for spring actuated movement, and simultaneously disengaging the said manualiy moving means from the slide members, a latch membmeilective upon release of the first slide member to check movement of the second slide member, a controlling member having a portion disposed in the path 7 are positionable in restricted spaces at the sides of movement of the released slide member for disen aging the latch with respect to the second slide member, and a manually adjustable-support for said controlling member for adjusting the latter along the path of movement oi the first slide member to adiustably control the time rection of .their movements across the said exposure opening. each section consisting of overlapping rigid members which when contracted of the exposure opening and when expanded are positionable to completely mask the exposure opening, means to successively move said shutter sections in timed relation to form therebetween an exposure space, and means for expanding one and contracting the other of said sections during each effective movement thereof and to equalize said expansion and contraction of the two sections whereby to maintain the exposure space or 10 constant dimension for the full length of the exposure opening, during each eirective movement of the shutter sections.

LAWRENCE W. CAREY. 

